5 Signs You’re Carrying Someone Else’s Energy

Cindy Waite
Oct 13
4 min read

If you’re the kind of person who feels deeply, listens intently, and naturally shows up for others, chances are you’ve carried energy that wasn’t yours. It’s part of being empathic. You tune in, you care, and without realizing it, you sometimes absorb.

But over time, that build-up of “not you” can weigh you down. It clouds your emotions, confuses your thoughts, and can even affect your physical body. The good news? Once you start recognizing the signs, you can clear what isn’t yours—and return to who you truly are.

Here are 5 key signs that you’re carrying someone else’s energy:

1. Your Mood Changes for No Clear Reason

One minute you’re fine, the next you’re anxious, sad, or exhausted—and nothing specific happened to cause it.

Sound familiar?

Sudden mood shifts with no personal trigger are one of the biggest red flags. This is especially common after being in a crowded space, intense conversation, or emotionally charged environment. You might have been feeling balanced all day, then walked into a room and felt tension like a wall. Or maybe after a friend vented to you, you suddenly felt like the one carrying their pain.

Empaths often “pick up” emotions like radio signals. And without boundaries, those signals get stuck in your system.

If your emotional state feels hijacked—and doesn’t match your actual circumstances—you might be carrying someone else’s stuff.

2. You’re Overwhelmed by Other People’s Problems

You want to help. You always have. But lately, every time someone shares their struggles, you feel like it becomes your responsibility to fix it.

That weight you feel? That pressure? That urge to do something immediately?

It’s not just concern—it’s energetic entanglement.

There’s a difference between supporting someone and absorbing their experience. If you leave a conversation more drained than the person who was struggling, you’ve likely taken on their emotional energy.

When you feel pulled into other people’s lives like it’s your job to carry their burden, ask yourself: “Is this mine to hold?”

3. You Can’t Seem to Recharge, No Matter What You Do

You meditate. You journal. You sleep. You light candles and take salt baths.

But something still feels off. Like your system is overloaded and nothing clears it completely.

This is a big sign that your energetic body is congested with external energy. When your aura is full of other people’s emotions, worries, or projections, even rest doesn’t feel restful.

It’s not a self-care problem. It’s a boundary issue. Your energy field is working overtime to process what doesn’t belong to you.

The fix isn’t always more self-care—it’s targeted energetic release. Clearing practices like cord cutting, grounding, breathwork, or even shaking your body out can help move that stuck energy out of your field.

4. You Feel Responsible for Keeping the Peace

If you walk into a room and instantly scan for who’s upset… if you change your tone or behavior to soothe others… if you feel guilty when someone else is struggling even if it has nothing to do with you—that’s not just empathy. That’s over-identification.

Being attuned to others is a gift. But when it crosses into emotional caretaking, it becomes draining fast.

This is often rooted in survival patterns. As children, many empaths learned to read the emotional temperature around them to stay safe or keep others happy. But as adults, it becomes a cycle of energetic overextension.

If your nervous system goes on high alert around conflict, or you feel like you “have to” make everyone feel okay, it’s time to check: are you living in your energy, or trying to manage someone else’s?

5. You Have Physical Symptoms That Don’t Match Your Life

One of the most overlooked ways we carry other people’s energy is in our bodies.

Tight shoulders. Random fatigue. Headaches. Chest pressure. Even nausea.

When these symptoms aren’t connected to a medical condition or personal stressor, they’re often energetic in nature. You might be unconsciously holding someone else’s sadness in your chest. Or taking on someone’s unspoken anger in your jaw or stomach.

Empaths often “somatize” energy—meaning, what’s emotional or energetic shows up physically.

Start asking your body questions. “Is this mine?” “What am I holding onto?” You’d be surprised how fast your body responds when you listen.

What to Do About It

If these signs are hitting home, don’t panic. This doesn’t mean you’re broken—it means your sensitivity needs better protection.

Here are a few ways to start clearing and reclaiming your energy:

Ground daily. Visualize roots from your feet into the earth. Let anything that’s not yours drain out.
Set energetic boundaries. Say internally: “I return any energy that’s not mine. I call all of my energy back to me.”
Do a body scan. Ask each part of your body what it’s holding and if it’s yours. Breathe into tight spots.
Disconnect with intention. After emotionally heavy conversations, close your eyes and imagine cutting cords or stepping back into your own energy field.
Seek energetic support. Reiki, breathwork, or energy healing sessions can help reset your system.